Missing digits in comparing large numbers: worked example
22 October 2026
When comparing large numbers, sometimes a digit is missing and you need to work out what it could be. This is a common type of question in 11+ maths, and it helps to look at each digit in the number carefully.
Worked example
Which digit should go in the box to make this number bigger than 483,725?
48□,726 > 483,725
Step 1: Compare the digits from left to right. The first two digits are 4 and 8 in both numbers.
Step 2: The third digit in 483,725 is 3. In 48□,726 it is the box.
Step 3: To make 48□,726 bigger, the digit in the box must be more than 3.
Step 4: The smallest digit more than 3 is 4.
So, the missing digit is 4.
The correct answer is 4.
| Digit Place | 483,725 | 48□,726 |
|---|---|---|
| Ten thousands | 4 | 4 |
| Thousands | 8 | 8 |
| Hundreds | 3 | □ |
| Tens | 7 | 7 |
| Units | 2 | 2 |
| Ones | 5 | 6 |
Now you can spot how to find a missing digit by comparing each place value from left to right. The same method will help with other questions like this, so your child is ready to practise more missing digit problems. Key insight: Careful comparison of each digit helps find the answer every time.
